Pizarro: San Jose's 235th birthday bash brings together old and new

San Jose's past and present will intersect Sunday as its 235th birthday is celebrated at the San Pedro Square Market, the city's newest destination that also happens to be home to the Peralta Adobe, its oldest structure.

History buffs know that El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe was founded Nov. 29, 1777, but History San Jose picked an earlier weekend date that would be more convenient for visitors. The celebration, which begins at 11 a.m., will include a candle-lighting ceremony, a birthday cake and family activities that harken back to the days of the Ohlone Indians and the Californio pioneers.

Music will be provided by Los Arribeños de San Francisco, and also making an appearance will be Stone Shield, an 18-year-old mare whose ancestry goes back to the horses ridden by Spanish settlers.

At 1 p.m., there will be a ribbon cutting of the new National Anza Trail exhibit in the Lusardi Building at San Pedro Square Market. The bilingual exhibition, which runs through Jan. 15, focuses on the travel of the Anza expedition in 1775.

BONDING TIME: It's always fun for me to hang out with fellow James Bond fans, so I had a great start to last weekend, thanks to Mike and Karen Turnlund and Dan and Debra Hunt. They each purchased an item at the Oct. 20 Presentation High auction that included joining me for opening night of "Skyfall," the hit new 007 movie.

My wife, Amy, came along, and each of them brought another couple, too, for our evening at Santana Row, which included cocktails and appetizers at Sino Restaurant, followed by the movie at CineArts.

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FASHIONABLE FUNDRAISER: Westfield Valley Fair will be unveiling its new luxury collection on Saturday with "Couture Funding a Cure," a fundraiser benefiting the American Cancer Society. The 6 p.m. event is expected to have an exclusive vibe, with signature cocktails and catering by Melon's of South San Francisco. And there'll be a special runway presentation by Anthony Ryan Auld of "Project Runway."

Retailers including Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Microsoft, Hugo Boss and Louis Vuitton will also have in-store celebrations, though the best special may be the valet parking included in the $125 ticket. Get more information at www.couturefundingacure.org.